DCU School of Education Studies involved in eur1 million research project
- 8 February 2007

This month, Irish students taking the new Belief and Communication module at Dublin City University are involved in an exciting educational link with Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting next Tuesday, (20 February), the School of Communications is delivering joint live video seminars on current issues such as the heated genocide debate in Turkey and the fear of Islam in the West.

Prof. Colum Kenny, co-ordinator of the interdisciplinary course at DCU says: "Since 9/11 there has been a growing interest in how faith and belief are represented in the media. This link with a US college will allow us to share perspectives from both sides of the Atlantic on the reporting of religion." He adds, "it is remarkable how little teaching about religion has taken place in Ireland outside of the church context."

The participating professor at Marquette is Claire Badaracco, whose works include "Quoting God: How Media Shape Ideas About Religion" (Baylor University Press. 2005). Her "Media Ethics" and "Media and Religion" students will be participating with DCU Communications undergraduates.

Outline of DCU Belief and Communications optional third-year module: This is team-taught. Topics being addressed include Habermas: conviction and conversion; Reporting religion; Spirituality, identity and culture; Voicing diversity: the Internet and belief; Sacred space: theatre; Sacred space: film; Religion and state policy in Ireland; Hearing the other: education and belief; Prayer, science and communication; Biology and human identity; Contemporary European philosophy and the question of God.

This unique module is being delivered at DCU by a team that is both cross-faculty (DCu faculties of humanities, science & health) and cross-institutional (DCU, St Pat's, Mater Dei).

The team delivering the Belief & Communication module this year are,

• Pat Brereton, DCU.
• Carmel Mulcahy, DCU.
• Hugh Gash, St Pat's.
• Anne O'Reilly, St Pat's.
• Kevin Williams, Mater Dei.
• Ian Leask, Mater Dei.
• Dónal Ó Mathúna, DCU.
• Fiona Williams. Internet consultant.
• Pat Brereton, DCU.
• Padraig Murphy, DCU.
• Colum Kenny, DCU (co-ordinator).

In 2004, Professor Kenny was awarded a DCU Teaching & Learning Fellowship in Belief & Communication.

ENDS